Adoption

Baroness Hamwee: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of (1) the number of people who might seek assistance with regard to obtaining information in relation to the adoption of a direct ancestor, and (2) the number of people who, in such a case, would seek contact with relatives in the event that the direct descendants of adopted persons were brought within the scope of section 98 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002; and on what basis any such estimates are made.

Lord Nash: The Department for Education does not collect any data that would allow it to make such estimates. We are currently exploring with the Law Commission whether access to adoption information for the descendants of adopted people might be included as part of the Commission’s 12th programme of law reform. I understand why descendants of adopted people want to find out more about their relative’s history but there is a need to balance this against the rights and wishes of adopted adults and, where the adopted adult has died, their birth family. This is a complex and sensitive issue which needs careful consideration before any change to legislation is considered.

Advisory Committee on Business Appointments

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments has ever blocked an appointment for (1) a current or former minister, (2) a current or former member of the armed forces, or (3) a current or former member of the civil service.
	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether anyone has ever taken advice on an appointment from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments and then not taken up the appointment.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The role of the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments is to provide independent advice to the Prime Minister (or the Foreign Secretary as appropriate) on the application of the Business Appointment Rules to the most senior members of the Civil Service, Armed Services and Diplomatic Service who wish to take up appointments within two years of leaving Crown service. The Committee also provides independent advice directly to former Ministers on appointments they wish to take up within two years of leaving Government.
	As was the case under previous administrations, the Committee handles all applications confidentially. It publishes its advice on its website, and in its annual report, once appointments have been taken up or announced. It does not publish its advice on appointments not taken up.

Agriculture: Agri-tech Strategy

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when their agri-tech strategy will be launched; and what are the reasons for the delay.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The agri-tech strategy will be launched this summer. Agricultural technologies form a complex sector with a wide range of interests, covering many parts of the research base, the supply chain from primary production through to retailers and consumers, and those working to develop trade and to support international development. It has therefore taken a little longer than anticipated to reach a position where the main components of this strategy have wide appeal, so allowing this broad constituency to work collaboratively on programmes that create economic growth in the UK.

Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what factors they will take into account in their consideration of genetically modified crops; and whether that consideration will take into account the needs of small farmers in developing countries.

Lord De Mauley: The Government's policy will take account of all relevant factors. There is evidence that the use of existing GM crops has helped small farmers in developing countries and research is underway to develop new types of GM crop that could provide further benefits to smallholders in Africa and elsewhere.

Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made any assessment of the paper Glyphosate resistance threatens Roundup hegemony by E Waltz in Nature biotechnology, 28:537–538 2010; and, if so, what assessment they have made of that paper’s analysis of the long-term requirements of genetically engineered crops for herbicides.

Lord De Mauley: The article by Emily Waltz is a commentary on one aspect of a major report by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) on the impact of GM crops in the United States. Both the article and
	the report highlight the need for effective management of herbicide-tolerant crops by farmers and the use of more diverse weed control strategies, to guard against the development of resistant weeds. It is also noted that new types of GM herbicide-tolerant crop could provide further options for weed management. The overall finding of the NAS report is that GM crops have delivered substantial net environmental and economic benefits, although it notes that the impacts have been variable and may change over time.

Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have conducted into the potential cost of loss of United Kingdom markets should any genetically modified wheat trial contaminate United Kingdom commercial wheat.

Lord De Mauley: The GM wheat trial by Rothamsted Research is subject to tight controls and it is not expected to cause any difficulty in relation to commercial wheat production.

Alexander Litvinenko

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 10 June (WA 211), what representations they have made to the government of Russia about the extradition of Mr Lugovoi to stand trial in the United Kingdom for the murder of Alexander Litvinenko; and whether they will ask the Crown Prosecution Service to make their evidence on Mr Lugovoi available to the coroner, Sir Robert Owen QC.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The then Director of Public Prosecutions announced in 2007 that the UK had requested the extradition of Mr Lugovoi from Russia, and that the request had been declined.
	The Metropolitan Police Service and Crown Prosecution Service are co-operating fully with the Coroner. The police have provided the Coroner with a report of its investigation into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, and have undertaken an extensive disclosure process to ensure that all relevant material is made available to Sir Robert Owen.

Apprenticeships

Lord Adonis: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total number of staff employed within the UK Green Investment Bank on 1 May 2013; and how many of them were (1) under the age of 21, (2) apprentices under the age of 21, and (3) apprentices over the age of 21.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: As of 1 May 2013, total staff numbers at the Green Investment Bank were 78. No staff were under the age of 21 and none were apprentices.

Apprenticeships

Baroness Sharp of Guildford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for the latest year for which figures are available, what proportion of apprenticeships aimed at those aged (1) 16–18, (2) 19–24, and (3) over 24, were delivered by (a) further education colleges, (b) independent education providers, and (c) employers.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts and achievements by provider type and age are published in a Supplementary Table to a quarterly Statistical First Release (SFR).
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9A4EE3C3-7FF3-4AAC-B864-F41966A9349F/0/January2013_Apprenticeship_Provider_Type.xls
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/Statistics/fe_data_library/Apprenticeships/

Armed Forces: Medals

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the list of armed forces medals awarded to a past recipient is not made available other than to the next of kin.

Lord Astor of Hever: However remote the risk, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) would not wish to facilitate unsolicited approaches to families to purchase medals and are mindful that some medals may relate to service in sensitive military operations, which even today might give rise to personal security risks for the families concerned. Therefore, in recognition of the duty of care owed to the family of a deceased Service person, who normally wish to retain ownership of the medals, in the 25 years following the date of death, the Ministry of Defence will not disclose to a third party details of campaign medals issued. This policy has the overwhelming support of charities and organisations that represent the interests of current and former Service personnel and their families, and is fully consistent with our Freedom of Information Act 2000 obligations.
	After this 25 year period, and if it is held, the MOD will disclose, without the requirement for Next of Kin consent, details of campaign medals issued.
	Whilst details of all State level honours and awards bestowed upon Service personnel are published in the London Gazette, care is taken to ensure that entries are devoid of data that might jeopardise the safety and security of the Service person and their family. It is also the case that the Service person (or next of kin in the case of a posthumous award) is asked whether they are content for the honour and award bestowed to be the subject of media attention.

Armed Forces: Military Equipment

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will publish details of the types and quantities of United Kingdom military equipment which have been, or will be gifted, leased, lent or sold to Uzbekistan as part of the drawdown from Afghanistan.

Lord Astor of Hever: Details of the items to be gifted were outlined in the Departmental minute laid before the House on 13 February 2013. Specifically:
	Land Rover Spares: commercially available components and major assemblies, to the value of £100,000;
	50 Leyland DAF 4-ton trucks: a general purpose load carrying 4x4 vehicle, plus an associated spares package, with an approximate sales value of £7,000 per truck.

Banks: Lending

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the availability of capital to support the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises and residential mortgage borrowers of the introduction by the Prudential Regulatory Authority of a gross leverage limit to the ratio of bank lending to capital; and how they expect mutual lenders will comply without reducing lending.

Lord Deighton: UK banks, building societies and credit unions are regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). In March, the interim Financial Policy Committee (FPC) made a series of recommendations to strengthen the resilience of major UK banks and building societies. On 20 June, the PRA provided an update on progress in implementing these recommendations. Consistent with the FPC recommendations, the PRA has asked firms to ensure that all plans to address shortfalls do not reduce lending to the real economy. It is not for the Government to comment on specific recommendations for and by the FPC or the PRA, nor in relation to specific institutions.

Children: Education

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of overcrowding on the quality of a child’s education.

Lord Nash: The review “Class size and education in England evidence report” was published on the Department’s website in December 20111.
	1
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/183364/DFE-RR169.pdf

Children: Sexually Explicit Material

Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to include modules to discourage children from accessing internet pornography as part of sex and relationship education in schools.
	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure that schoolchildren learn that pornography is not a realistic depiction of normal sexual relationships.

Lord Nash: Sex and relationship education (SRE) is compulsory in maintained secondary schools and although primary schools do not have to teach it, many choose to do so in later years. Statutory guidance specifies that teachers should ensure their pupils learn about the importance of stable relationships. This is a vital part of high quality SRE. All teaching should ensure that pupils develop a strong sense of respect for others and an understanding of what constitutes a healthy relationship. In this context, schools can use SRE to teach children about the dangers of pornography, and we trust in the professional judgement of teachers to do so appropriately.
	The Government does not prescribe programmes of study or modules for sex and relationship education (SRE) as we believe that it is for schools to tailor their local SRE programme to reflect the needs of their pupils. Schools can use SRE to teach children about the impact and effects of pornography should they choose and we trust in the professional judgement of teachers to do so appropriately.
	There are a range of resources and expertise from professional organisations that schools can use to help address this important issue. For example, the Personal, Social and Health Education Association and the Sex Education Forum produce specific resources for teachers on the issues around pornography.

Children: Sexually Explicit Material

Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to raise awareness among young people about young boys pressurising girls for sex and the uploading of sexually explicit material online without consent.

Lord Nash: Young people should never feel pressured into any action by their peers. We expect schools to ensure that all pupils learn to respect others and to reflect this in their broad educational ethos.
	Issues relating to sexual consent specifically should be addressed in sex and relationship education (SRE), which is compulsory in maintained secondary schools. When teaching SRE, schools (including academies through their funding agreements) must have regard to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Education’s SRE guidance which ensures that young people are taught how to avoid exploitation and abuse, as well as how the law applies to sexual relationships.
	The uploading and sharing of sexually explicit content is a particular issue that schools will want to address in SRE and we encourage teachers to make use of the expertise of professional organisations in this area. For example Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) provide specific resources for schools and children and young people about dealing with ‘sexting’.

China

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of the trade relationship between the European Union and China on the United Kingdom’s bilateral trade relationship with China.

Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: Trade between the UK and China continues to increase; UK goods exports to China rose 20% in the first four months of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012. The UK was the only EU Member State to see an increase in both imports from and exports to China in 2012. The UK strongly supports the deepening and strengthening of the EU’s trade relationship with China, to complement the UK’s own bilateral trade and investment relationship. For example, the EU is exploring a potential Investment Protection Agreement with China, which would benefit UK investors.

Drugs: Ecstasy

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have died in the last five years from ecstasy tablet use; how many of those deaths were due to poisoning by the pills themselves; and whether there have been recent instances of multiple deaths from contaminated illegal sales.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS, to Lord Laird, dated July 2012.
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many people have died in the last five years from ecstasy tablet use, how many of those deaths were due to poisoning by the pills themselves, and whether there have been recent instances of multiple deaths from contaminated illegal sales. (HL1354)
	Table 1 provides the number of drug-related deaths where Ecstasy (also know as 34-methylenedioxy-meth-amphetamine—MDMA) was mentioned on the death certificate in England and Wales, for deaths registered between 2007 and 2011 (the latest year available).
	MDMA is normally consumed in tablet form, but is also taken in powder form or very occasionally as crystals. It is not possible to determine how many people died from ecstasy tablet use, as the physical form of MDMA is not recorded on the death certificate.
	It is also not possible to determine how many of the ecstasy-related deaths in Table 1 were directly due to ecstasy poisoning or how many were caused by other factors such as contaminated illegal sales. Detailed information about complications of ecstasy use, including whether the death was related to a contaminated source, is not systematically recorded on death certificates. Moreover, around 50% of ecstasy-related deaths involve more than one substance, and it is not possible to tell which was primarily responsible for the death.
	Drug-related deaths are certified by a coroner following an inquest, and can only be registered once the inquest is completed. Due to the length of time it takes to hold an inquest, it can take months (or even years) for these deaths to be registered. The latest statistical bulletin showed that the median registration delay for drug-related deaths was 171 days in England and Wales in 2011. ONS are not informed about a death until it has been registered, so our records will not contain recent drug-related deaths, as they will not have been registered yet.
	The number of drug-related deaths registered in England and Wales from 1993 to 2011 are available on the ONS website. This annual bulletin includes a breakdown of the substances involved in the deaths, including deaths where selected substances (including ecstasy) were the only substance mentioned:
	www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/index.html
	A copy of the table has been placed in the Library of the House.
	
		
			 Table 1. Number of drug-related deaths where Ecstasy / MDMA was mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales, deaths registered between 2007 and 20111,2,3 
			 Registration year Deaths 
			 2007 47 
			 2008 44 
			 2009 27 
			 2010 8 
			 2011 13 
		
	
	1
	Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The ICD-10 codes used to select deaths related to drug poisoning are shown in Box 1 below. Deaths were included where one of these codes was the underlying cause and Ecstasy or MDMA was mentioned on the death certificate.
	2
	Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.
	3
	Figures are based on deaths registered, rather than deaths occurring in years 2007 to 2011. Due to the length of time it takes to hold an inquest, it can take months for a drug-related death to be registered in England and Wales. Additional information on registration delays for drug-related deaths can be found in the annual statistical bulletin: www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/subnational-health3/deaths-related-to-drug-poisoning/index.html.
	
		
			 Box 1. International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes used to define deaths related to drug poisoning 
			 Description ICD 10 Codes 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) F11–F16, F18–F19 
			 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X40–X44 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X60–X64 
			 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances X85 
			 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent Y10–Y14

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answers by Baroness Thornton on 6 April 2010 (WA 393) and by Earl Howe on 8 March 2011 (WA 389-90) and 18 June 2013 (WA 33), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority’s Research Licence Committee concluded on 18 November 2009 that the activities covered by research licences R0152 and R0153 shared the same aims; if so, whether those aims had ever changed previously; if not, what the differences were between the aims of the research covered by those licences and how any such differences were considered; and what was the connection between type 1 diabetes and mitochondrial disease.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has nothing to add to the information I gave the noble Lord in my Written Answer of 18 June 2013 (Official Report, col. WA 33).

Employment

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the average (1) salary, and (2) contracted hours per week, of (a) public sector jobs lost in 2012 and the first six months of 2013, and (2) private sector jobs created in 2012 and the first six months of 2013.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS, to Lord Touhig, dated July 2013.
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking Her Majesty's Government what were the average (1) salary, and (2) contracted hours per week, of (a) public sector
	jobs lost in 2012 and the first six months of 2013, and (2) private sector jobs created in 2012 and the first six months of 2013 (HL 1292).
	The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. However, ASHE cannot be used to identify those who left employment and those who began employment in a particular time period and therefore cannot be used to answer the question. Furthermore, there are no other sources of information held by ONS available which could be used to answer the question.

Environment: Chinese Lanterns

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many fires they estimate to have been caused by Chinese lanterns in the past year; and whether they are considering their policy on the availability and use of such lanterns following the recent fire at a recycling plant in the West Midlands.

Baroness Hanham: I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment Relations and Consumer Affairs (Jo Swinson) on 4 July, Official Report, House of Commons, Column 775W.
	In the last four years, English fire and rescue services have reported only one incident caused by a sky lantern that resulted in significant damage to an outbuilding. In 2012¬13, English fire and rescue services attended over 100,000 outdoor fire incidents (grassland/woodland etc), of which sky lanterns were potentially responsible for around 200 fires (0.2% of all outdoor fires), none of which caused substantial damage.
	We must await the outcome of the investigation into the cause of the fire on 30 June at the J&A Young recycling plant, Smethwick, Birmingham—then consider whether action is necessary. We should guard against knee-jerk reactions without knowing all the facts.

Food: Meat

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support they have provided in each of the last three years for the production of pasture-fed meat.

Lord De Mauley: We have supported livestock farmers under the Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS), part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE). Information on specific support for pasture fed meat could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Government Departments: Meetings

The Countess of Mar: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what meetings they held during development of their agri-tech strategy with (1) the genetically modified food industry; (2) the organic industry, and (3) agroecology experts and researchers.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: All Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published on the Gov.uk website which can be accessed using the hyperlinks below.
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-innovation-skills/series/bis-quarterly-publications-april-to-june-2012
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/about/who/ministers/transparency/
	https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development/series/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-with-external-organisations-in-the-department-for-international-development
	Officials have had continuing engagement with a wide range of agri-tech stakeholders during the development of the strategy.
	Further Government-led stakeholder engagement in the strategy has included a consultation (open from October to December 2012) and a lead stakeholder event in April 2013.

Government Departments: Meetings

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the expenses of the United Kingdom ministers and civil servants who attended the Bilderberg Conference in June 2012 were met by public funds; and, if so, whether they will provide details of those funds.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: There was no cost to public funds.

Health: Doctors

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many departments of emergency medicine have vacancies for doctors.

Earl Howe: There is no central collection of the number of vacancies for doctors in departments of emergency medicine. Following the publication of the Fundamental Data Review in March 2013, the National Health Service vacancy collection, which had previously been suspended from 2011, has now been discontinued.

Housing: Private Rented Sector

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which local authorities are operating compulsory licensing schemes for private landlords in their areas, other than by means of a selective licensing scheme.

Baroness Hanham: This information is not held centrally.
	Other than selective licensing the only other statutory licensing schemes for private rented housing relate to Houses in Multiple Occupation, mandatory licensing for larger Houses in Multiple Occupation and a discretionary power to extend licensing to smaller types of Houses in Multiple Occupation.

Immigration

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government , further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 3 June (WA 134), whether they will seek to amend provisions in the European Economic Area Free Movement Directive allowing European Union nationals to bring their non-European Union family members into the United Kingdom without income restrictions; and whether they have assessed the compliance with human rights standards of United Kingdom Immigration Rules that require British citizens to meet the minimum income threshold of £18,600 to sponsor non-European Economic Area national spouses to settle in the United Kingdom.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: The rights of European Union nationals to live and work in other Member States, and to be accompanied by their family members who do not hold European Union nationality, are set out in the Free Movement Directive (2004/38/EC) by which the UK is bound. The Directive is implemented in the UK through the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006. The introduction of an income requirement for non-EEA family members of EEA nationals would require significant changes to the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 which would require the re-opening of the Free Movement Directive in order to be lawful.
	The Government does not tolerate abuse of free movement. The Home Secretary has consistently raised her concerns about fraud and abuse of free movement at the Justice and Home Affairs Council, and we are working to curb such abuse domestically, and together with our European partners. The Government will also examine the scope and consequences of the free movement of people across the EU as part of the Review of Balance of Competences in 2013.
	On 13 June 2012, the Government published its assessment of the compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights of the minimum income
	threshold and other requirements of the Immigration Rules which, from 9 July 2012, are to be met by a non-EEA national spouse applying to settle in the UK with a British citizen. A copy of that assessment was placed in the Library.

Individual Savings Accounts

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to announce a decision on the eligibility of shares quoted on the Alternative Investment Market for inclusion in ISAs, following their consultation.

Lord Deighton: On 1 July, the Government published its summary of responses to the consultation on including shares traded on small and medium-sized enterprise equity markets within ISA-qualifying investments. It intends to introduce the necessary legislation before the summer recess.

Internet: Online Payroll

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken by HM Revenue and Customs to help any farmers who are unable to implement online payroll reporting from their own premises.

Lord Deighton: HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will allow employers who are “digitally excluded” to submit their Real Time Information (RTI) returns via an alternative paper channel for a limited period. Farmers will be eligible for this treatment in the same way as any other employer.
	To be treated as “digitally excluded”, employers will need to satisfy HMRC that they meet certain conditions. One of those conditions is that the employer cannot access an internet connection, including ‘dial up’.
	In each case, the employer must demonstrate to HMRC why they cannot use a third party, such as an agent or a friend, to submit RTI on their behalf.
	Very few employers are expected to qualify as digitally excluded customers and HMRC will keep the need for the alternative paper channel under review.

Legal Aid

Lord Touhig: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many victims of (1) domestic abuse, and (2) human trafficking, are expected to be affected by proposed changes to (a) residency criteria for access to civil legal aid, and (b) legal aid funding of cases assessed as having borderline prospects of success.

Lord McNally: The Transforming Legal Aid consultation contains a range of measures to reduce the cost of legal aid and improve the public credibility of the legal aid scheme, which at £2 billion is one of the most expensive such systems in the world. It cannot be immune from the Government's commitment to getting best value for every penny of taxpayers’ money. The consultation therefore proposes that those allocated civil legal aid should have a strong connection to the UK.
	Victims of trafficking and domestic violence seeking to claim asylum would be excepted from the residence test. People who did not meet the residence test would also be entitled to apply for exceptional funding as set out in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012.
	On 1 and 2 (a), as the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) does not collect data on the residency status of civil legal aid recipients, no figures are available to assess numbers of people that will be affected by the proposed introduction of a residence test.
	On 1 and 2 (b), the LAA does hold data concerning cases assessed by legal aid providers as having borderline prospects of success; this may differ from the LAA’s own assessment. In such cases the provider is required to apply to the LAA and set out its estimate of the prospects of success. The table below sets this data out in domestic violence cases.
	
		
			  Domestic Violence 
			 Financial Year Total Number of Certificates With ‘Borderline’ Prospects Of Success 
			 2008-09 9 
			 2009-10 9 
			 2010-11 8 
			 2011-12 10 
			 2012-13 4 
		
	
	The LAA does not hold data on the number of trafficking cases assessed as having borderline prospects of success, because prior to April 2013 the LAA did not record information on victims of trafficking as a separate group.
	Victims of domestic violence or trafficking may also claim civil legal aid for other cases assessed as having borderline prospects on other matters. The LAA does not hold data on whether claimants in such cases are victims of trafficking or domestic violence.
	We are now carefully considering responses to the recent consultation. As part of that consultation a full impact assessment is available at https://consult. justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/transforming-legal-aid.

Migrants: Romanians and Bulgarians

The Lord Bishop of Derby: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what resources have been allocated to provide support for local voluntary organisations to meet any additional costs arising from the entry of migrants from Bulgaria and Romania.

Baroness Hanham: Work to address pressures, including financial pressures, arising from the entry of migrants from Bulgaria and Romania is best assessed and delivered at a local level; including through mainstream funding programmes such as health and education.
	This Government is focusing on work to cut out abuse of free movement and to address “pull” factors for immigration, such as access to benefits and public services.

Museums and Galleries: Works of Art

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will investigate the governance of the Foundling Museum and the role of Coram in its operation; and whether they will investigate the status of works of art donated to the Foundling Museum which were funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund and supported by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: Charities are regulated by the Charity Commission. The Attorney General also has various functions in relation to charities which he exercises in the public interest on behalf of the Crown as parens patriae. The Attorney is aware that concerns have been raised in relation to the governance of the Foundling Museum. He has made enquiries with the parties involved and will consider what further action, if any, he should take bearing in mind the role of the Charity Commission.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what treatments currently approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence normally apply to no more than 10 patients per year.

Earl Howe: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has not issued technology appraisal guidance on any treatments with an estimated eligible patient population of fewer than 10 patients.
	Information on treatments recommended by other NICE guidance, including clinical guidelines and interventional procedures guidance, could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Overseas Aid

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the total spending by the Department for International Development was spent on (1) agriculture, (2) research and development, and (3) science, technology and innovation in the reduction of poverty, in each of the last three years; and what is the proportion of planned spending in each of the coming two years.

Baroness Northover: DFID reports spend according to input sector codes specified by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC).
	The table below provides information on DFID bilateral spend in the requested categories, using spend against the appropriate input sector codes, as a proportion of total DFID bilateral spend for the last three years. DFID also contributes to work in these sectors through core contributions to multilateral organisations. This is not captured in the data below.
	Spend for 2012/13 will be published in Autumn 2013 in ‘Statistics on International Development’. Planned spend is not disaggregated by thematic area to this level of detail, and therefore we are unable to provide an estimate of planned spend for 2013/14.
	
		
			 % 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 
			 Agriculture 2 2 2 ** *** 
			 Research and development 4 3 3 ** *** 
			 Science, technology and innovation in the reduction of poverty* <1 <1 <1 ** *** 
		
	
	* Spend in this category is also included as part of the ‘Research and development’ spend
	Details of spend by input sector codes are published in additional table A3 of the ‘Statistics on International Development’ publication available online at: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130128103201/http:/www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2012/SID-2012-Additional-tables/

Pakistan

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are making representations to the government of Pakistan about the recent murders of three members of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh; and whether they have yet received any replies.

Baroness Warsi: We regret the levels of political violence in Pakistan, including these murders of members of the Provincial Assembly of Sindh. We regularly discuss with the Government of Pakistan how they are tackling the threat from militant groups and other forms of violence, including the Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) on 30 June.

Probation Services: Outsourcing

Baroness Howe of Idlicote: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what safeguards they will put in place as part of their plans for outsourcing probation core tasks in England and Wales to ensure that commercial considerations do not override the administration of justice.
	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to ensure fair and transparent competition in line with European law and international standards under their proposals for outsourcing probation services.
	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to prevent large providers from developing powerful consortia that might minimise competition under their proposals for outsourcing probation services.

Lord McNally: On 9 May, the Ministry of Justice published Transforming Rehabilitation: a Strategy for Reform, which sets out the plans for transforming the way in which offenders are managed in the community in order to bring down reoffending rates.
	These reforms will open up delivery of probation services to a far wider range of potential providers. The competition will be conducted in line with European procurement law and will be supported by a set of principles of competition to ensure the integrity of the competition.
	We have designed a system with clear lines of accountability and governance, and we will ensure that contracted providers and the public sector probation service adhere to a set of national minimum standards and that providers have internal quality assurance processes. There will also continue to be an independent Inspectorate of Probation with the same statutory remit as now.
	Competing services will open up rehabilitation services to a more diverse range of providers and will allow us to use innovative payment mechanisms which drive a focus on reducing reoffending. We are clear that we are keen to see partnerships between VCS organisations, or private and VCS providers, coming forward to compete for contracts. We will put in place market stewardship arrangements so smaller VCS can work as sub-contractors to larger providers under fair and sustainable arrangements.

Probation Services: Outsourcing

Baroness Howe of Idlicote: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will encourage probation trusts to merge or be subject to takeover by larger trusts under their proposals for outsourcing probation services.

Lord McNally: On 9 May, the Ministry of Justice published Transforming Rehabilitation: a Strategy for Reform, which sets out the plans for transforming the way in which offenders are managed in the community in order to bring down reoffending rates.
	Under these proposals the market will be opened up to a diverse range of new rehabilitation providers, so that we get the best out of the public, voluntary and private sectors, at the local as well as national level.
	We will create a new public sector National Probation Service, working to protect the public and building upon the expertise and experience of probation professionals.

Property: Letting

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the anticipated timescale for the implementation of the sections of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 relating to redress schemes for letting and management agency work.

Baroness Hanham: Requiring all letting and managing agents to belong to an approved redress scheme will give tenants an effective way to address complaints and drive up standards in the private rented sector. I am keen to make rapid progress in putting schemes in place, while also giving Parliament the opportunity to fully debate the detail, through two successive affirmative orders. The intention is for the first order—setting out the criteria and process for approving schemes—to be laid in Parliament this autumn. The second order, which will make it a legal requirement for agents to belong to a scheme, will be laid as soon as we are satisfied that there are sufficient approved schemes. We expect that to be early in 2014.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 26 June (WA 151–2), whether they will discuss the digitisation of the archives of former colonial administrations with the Association of Commonwealth Universities and relevant Commonwealth governments.

Baroness Warsi: There are no current plans to consider digitisation of these archives. Due to the cost of digitisation the Foreign and Commonwealth Office generally releases all of its paper records in their original format.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government , further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 26 June (WA 152), how many of the former senior diplomats engaged in the sensitivity reviewing of Foreign and Commonwealth Office archive files have served in former colonial possessions in Africa or their successor states.

Baroness Warsi: Six of the former senior diplomats have served in former British colonial territories in Africa, or their successor states, whose pre-independence files were included in the colonial administration files.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 26 June (WA 152), on how many occasions Professor Badger has been asked to review the decisions of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to archival material relating to African former colonial administrations; and in how many cases he has not upheld the decisions he has been asked to review.

Baroness Warsi: In line with his role as Independent Reviewer, Professor Badger is able to inspect the colonial administration files or any of the associated review and transfer work, at any time. He has made regular visits to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) archive since 2011 and has discussed release decisions with sensitivity reviewers. He has also reviewed in detail a range of FCO applications to the Lord Chancellor’s Advisory Council on National Records and Archives (LCAC) for the closure or retention of colonial administration material. Professor Badger remains confident that the release of colonial administration files by the FCO is consistent with the Foreign Secretary’s commitment to release all of these files, subject only to legal exemptions.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 26 June (WA 152), what opportunities exist for them to be acquainted with and to take into account the views of Commonwealth nations concerned as to archival material relating to their previous colonial administrations.

Baroness Warsi: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s sensitivity reviewers are appointed on the basis of their extensive diplomatic knowledge and experience, which includes knowledge of Commonwealth matters.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 26 June (WA 152), what meetings have occurred between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and National Archives officials responsible for decisions relating to the files of former colonial administrations with their counterparts in the Commonwealth countries concerned or with academics from those countries.

Baroness Warsi: No meetings have been held by Foreign and Commonwealth or National Archive officials responsible for decisions relating to the files of former colonial administrations with Commonwealth counterparts or academics as part of the current review and transfer process.

Public Records: Colonial Documents

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Warsi on 26 June (WA 151), given the current rate of progress in the review and transfer in alphabetical order of the files of colonial administrations, when they expect the files of the Gold Coast administration will be catalogued in the National Archives.

Baroness Warsi: The Gold Coast colonial administration records have all been publicly available at the National Archives since 27 July 2012 subject to any legal exemptions.

Rainforests

Lord Eden of Winton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made a recent estimate of the loss of tree cover in the world’s principal rainforests; if so, what assessment they have made of how much is due to (1) licensed, and (2) illegal, logging operations; and what assessment they have made of the resulting impact on the livelihoods of the indigenous people living in those forests.

Baroness Northover: The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that globally around 13 million hectares (ha) of forests were converted to other uses (including agriculture) or were lost through natural causes each year between 2000 and 2010. Countries where major rainforest clearance took place from 2005-10 are Brazil, Indonesia and Nigeria.
	Comprehensive and reliable assessments on how much deforestation has been due to illegal logging, and what effect this has on the livelihoods of indigenous people are not available. DFID currently supports a study that will directly measure illegality in logging and forest clearance in Indonesia. DFID supports studies in 25 forest countries into the dependence of indigenous communities on forests carried out by the Centre for International Forest Research’s (CIFOR) Poverty and Environment Network project. DFID also supports Civil Society Organizations such as The Rainforest Foundation and Rights and Resources Initiative which work with forest-dependent and indigenous communities to help them secure their rights to the forests they live in and prevent both illegal clearing and authorised conversion to which they do not agree.

Rainforests

Lord Eden of Winton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government in which countries major rainforest clearance, whether from licensed or illegal logging operations, is currently taking place.

Baroness Northover: Based on the most recent Food and Agriculture Organisation data available through the Forest Resource Assessment 2010, the countries where major rainforest clearance took place from 2005-10 are: Brazil, Indonesia and Nigeria.

Schools: First Aid

Baroness Jenkin of Kennington: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what initiatives and support are (1) currently available, and (2) being considered, to help children learn first aid in schools.

Lord Nash: Teachers are free to teach first aid within the wider school curriculum as part of non-statutory personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. We believe that schools are best placed to make decisions about whether to offer such training.
	The Government strongly encourages schools to work with professional organisations when developing and delivering their PSHE programmes, including in first aid. Organisations such as the British Heart Foundation, the British Red Cross and St John Ambulance provide excellent resources and training on emergency life-saving skills, which schools are free to use.
	We have asked Ofsted to report on specific effective practice on PSHE. We have also provided grant funding to the PSHE Association to undertake work advising schools in developing curricula, signposting schools to excellent resources, and improving staff training.

Schools: Inspectors

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 20 June (WA 78), how many independent schools were assessed by Ofsted further to an order from the Secretary of State in each of the last ten years, and of those how many were “schools that are normally inspected by an independent inspectorate”.

Lord Nash: In the last three years we have asked Ofsted to carry out 136 emergency independent school visits. Of these six were visits to “schools that are normally inspected by an independent inspectorate”.
	The Department holds information on independent schools for seven years. To obtain the information requested for this period would incur disproportionate cost.

Somalia and Somaliland

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will seek ways of facilitating the transfer of funds to Somalia and Somaliland by individuals, businesses and aid agencies to replace the arrangements which are being suspended by Barclays on 11 July.

Baroness Warsi: The Government recognises the role that remittances play in supporting the economy and people of Somalia. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office convened a meeting on 24 June to consider the issue of remittances to Somalia, including Somaliland. The meeting was attended by officials from the Home Office, Her Majesty’s Treasury, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the Department for International Development. The meeting agreed that officials would seek additional detailed information and assess further. The meeting also noted that Barclays’ decision to withdraw services from money service businesses is ultimately a private commercial matter, and it is for individuals, businesses and aid agencies concerned to find alternative arrangements for transferring money to Somalia if they are affected.

Taxation: Capital Gains Tax

Lord Forsyth of Drumlean: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the effect on revenue to the Exchequer of the increase in capital gains tax in 2010; and what were the revenues for each of the last five years.

Lord Deighton: Introducing the higher 28 per cent rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT), together with raising the Entrepreneurs Relief lifetime limit from £2 million to £5 million, was forecast to raise £925 million by 2014/15 at the time of the June 2010 Budget. This costing included an assessment of the behavioural effects on CGT receipts, as well as the positive effect on income tax receipts. The policy costings document published alongside the 2010 Emergency Budget Report sets out the methodology for arriving at such estimates and the likely effects on revenue.
	The forecast yield from the emergency budget 2010 measures, as published in the 2010 Emergency Budget report, is given in the table below:
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 
			 Exchequer impact (£mn) 0 725 825 850 925 
		
	
	No further estimates of the effect of raising the capital gains tax rate for those gains which qualify for the higher rate have been produced. It is not possible to separate, with any precision, the impact of the measure from other factors affecting CGT receipts in the outturn.
	Capital Gains Tax receipts, for the last five years, for which information is available, are given in the following table:
	
		
			 Year 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 
			 Receipts (£mn) 7,852 2,491 3,601 4,337 3,905

Taxation: Corporation Tax

Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of revenues earned in the United Kingdom by each of the mobile phone companies operating in the United Kingdom which have been paid in corporation tax in each of the last five years.

Lord Deighton: The Government has made no such estimate.
	HM Revenue & Customs is legally prohibited from disclosing the tax affairs of identifiable companies.

Visas

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 3 June (WA 154), how soon after a visa for leave to enter the United Kingdom for work or student purposes is taken up can an application for indefinite leave to remain be granted; how soon after that can a person apply for British citizenship; and whether they are considering breaking the link between such grants and citizenship or to extend the time periods involved.

Lord Taylor of Holbeach: Those in the UK on work routes can generally qualify for settlement after a period of five years’ residence. There are accelerated routes for those who have leave as an Entrepreneur or Investor. There is no direct route to settlement for those here in a student category.
	A person who is the spouse or civil partner of a British citizen can apply for citizenship once they have been granted indefinite leave to remain and have been resident in the UK for a period of three years. Other
	applicants have to meet a five year residence requirement and have had indefinite leave to remain for a period of 12 months.
	We have no plans to amend the requirements for citizenship at the current time.

Young Offenders: Transport

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children detained in (1) young offender institutions, (2) secure training centres, and (3) secure children’s homes, have attended a family funeral in the last five years.
	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children detained in (1) young offender institutions, (2) secure training centres, and (3) secure children’s homes, have been handcuffed during their journey to attend a family funeral in the last five years.
	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many children detained in (1) young offender institutions, (2) secure training centres, and (3) secure children’s homes, have been handcuffed during their journey to attend a hospital appointment in the last five years.

Lord McNally: It is not possible to provide information on the number of children detained in either a (1) under-18 Young Offender Institutions (YOIs), (2) Secure Training Centres (STCs) or (3) Secure Children’s Homes (SCHs) who attended a family funeral because information is not held centrally.
	SCHs do not use handcuffs and therefore no children detained in SCHs are handcuffed to attend a funeral or hospital appointment. The Ministry of Justice, National Offender Management Service and Youth Justice Board does not routinely collect information on children detained in (1) under-18 Young Offender Institutions or (2) Secure Training Centres who have (a) been handcuffed during their journey to attend a family funeral, and (b) been handcuffed during their journey to attend a hospital appointment.